This is the first post of a blog that hopefully will help me stay sane....
A bit of boring background.......
My name is Lee, and I'm a professional artist. I have a bachelors and honours degree in the field and a pending Phd. Doctor of what you say? yes, Doctor of Art, for what that is worth in today's world. I have all of the associated sites, eg.web site etc. www.leeannetrewartha.com so you can have a look if you wish.
I have been exhibiting widely for quite a while now but find that like many other artists, the arts industry is becoming harder to work in, not only because of the 'fickleness' of the industry, but the ever present,'starving artist' phenomena that goes with the job (I wish this reflected in my weight), and the every growing problems of trying to extract your money from galleries, when you do sell work (blood from a stone!). All of this results in the back pocket continually being empty, and credit card bill escalating. What to do??
The crazy thing in our country is the way artists are viewed.... Overseas, particularly, in Europe they are respected and appreciated as the creative minds of society....valued. In Australia, unfortunately we join the ranks of the titled 'dole bludgers', people who should go get a 'real job'.... undervalued. ..
Before I started this crazy wonderful career well over 10 years ago now, I was in administration, marketing... I hated it.. and where do I now find myself... back in marketing and administration, back where I started. I have taken a full time position, exchanged the paint brush and paint splashed clothes for a computer, a rather boring grey desk in a nauseatingly peach office and skirt and high heels... all I can say is....just shoot me.
On the flip side.... I have some money, I don't have to run to the phone each morning to check my phone banking balance to see if galleries have coughed up, and yesterday I bought my first pair of shoes in ages, and underpants that now can contain we without the holes.... yay..!
Despite this apparent change or good fortune (and my new underwear bounty) I can't help but feel that, life the way I know it is over. I am a square peg in a round hole! and my sanity is suffering...it seems more and more apparent to me why I became an artist.... and why I left the business world all of those years ago..
So how do I save my sanity....? I cook... and I know you'll think "oh no not another one of those cooking blogs"...well, yes but with a twist... When I have an art show and don't sell much I find myself in the kitchen cooking up a storm... I must create....and it must be consumed, ...... the great thing about cooking is that I can create, make up compositions of colour and flavour, present it on my table canvas, and people gather and consume it like there is no tomorrow..... everyone has to eat! I feel fulfilled that something I have created has been consumed and enjoyed....fulfilling its purpose!!
This blog is the Artist Cookbook, a site where Art and Food meet....both on the canvas and off, and sometimes next to each other.... a painting and a paella, a brush and a bruschetta, a canvas and a casserole. I am equally passionate about both. This blog will be a forum or creations both edible and non-edible with some grey edges. :) but overall, a space where I can escape the rigidity of the business world I so hate being a part of, and instead reside for a while to think about the dreaming, making,conceptualising and devouring of the arts. Many of the recipes I put up are ones I have made up or have grown up with... and all paintings and artworks are all original. :)
